This delicious and simple recipe features fresh asparagus, tangy lemon, and savory garlic all combined in a light and flavorful spaghetti dish. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
Quick cooking spaghetti dinners are always at the top of the list for meals in our house. This tangy asparagus spaghetti is one of my favorites. I started making this dish in the Spring when asparagus was in season but my family loves it so much that I now make it all year.
As I always say about Italian cooking, seasonal cooking is best but if you love asparagus, this meal is a real keeper. Even picky eaters and little kids love it.
What You Will Need And Substitutions
(full recipe and quantities below)
- Spaghetti: If you don't have spaghetti, you could use ziti or penne.
- Fresh asparagus: Only use fresh. Frozen will not hold up in this recipe.
- Lemon Juice: Bottled or fresh squeezed both work.
- Fresh Garlic: This is for the garlicky lemon sauce.
- Garlic Powder: This is used on the asparagus.
- Parmesan Cheese: Try to make sure you buy fresh Parmiggiano Reggiano and grate your own. It will taste so much better this way!
- Olive Oil: You can use extra virgin or light olive oil for this dish.
- Kosher Salt and Pepper: To taste!
How To Make Asparagus Lemon Spaghetti
- Roasting The Asparagus: Add asparagus, garlic powder, olive oil and salt to the asparagus and toss well. Add to a sheet pan and cook in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and add Parmesan and roast for another 5 minutes.
- Make Garlic Olive Oil Lemon Sauce: In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.
- Cook Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water (that has been salted) until al dente then drain and add it to the garlicky olive oil and lemon sauce. Toss the pasta around in the sauce for 1 minute, adding pasta water as needed.
- Assemble: Once the pasta is done, add the roasted asparagus to the pasta and toss together. Serve with additional Parmesan on top.
Recipe Tips
- Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta: This reserved starchy pasta water helps make the sauce stick to the spaghetti and make a sauce.
- Swap out the veggies: Once you see how delicious this spaghetti recipe is, you can make it with other veggies. I love using broccoli, cauliflower and even just making the spaghetti on it's own.
- Salt the pasta water: Add a good bunch of salt to the pasta water to flavor the pasta and to flavor the sauce later.
- Add a little cream: I love adding cream to garlicky sauces (like with my summer squash pasta). You can add about ½ up to 1 cup to the sauce for a creamy dish.
Storing And Leftovers
To store leftovers, place the spaghetti in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat the pasta, microwave the pasta in a microwave safe bowl covered with a dampened paper towel for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Toss well before eating.
More Easy Spaghetti Recipes!
Easy Garlicky Asparagus Lemon Spaghetti
This delicious and simple recipe features fresh asparagus, tangy lemon, and savory garlic all combined in a light and flavorful spaghetti dish. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
Spaghetti
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 cup Reserved pasta water see directions below
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup Lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 5 cloves Fresh garlic finely minced
- freshly grated black pepper for serving
- kosher salt for pasta water and more to taste
Roasted Asparagus
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus cleaned and bottom inch cut and discarded
- ½ cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Roasted Asparagus
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees
- Grab a large sheet pan.
- Add cleaned and trimmed asparagus to the sheet pan.1 bunch of fresh asparagus
- Now drizzle olive oil over the asparagus.2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Add garlic powder and salt and roll the asparagus in the mixture to coat it evenly.½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Place in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the asparagus is starting to crisp up at the edges.
- Remove asparagus from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan.½ cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Place back in the oven for 1 minute to melt the Parmesan then remove from the oven and set aside.
Lemon Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil for your pasta, finely mince up your garlic.5 cloves Fresh garlic
- Once pasta water is boiling, add a big pinch of salt and the spaghetti and stir well. Cook until al dente according to the manufacturers instructions.1 lb spaghetti
- While the pasta is cooking, In a large saute pan over medium-low heat, add your olive oil.¼ cup Olive oil
- Next add your garlic to the saute pan with the olive oil and simmer on low for just one minute making sure not to let the garlic brown.
- Grab a coffee mug and scoop out a mug full of pasta water. Add half of it now to the garlic and oil in the pan and reserve half for later.1 cup Reserved pasta water
- Add the lemon juice and mix well and reduce heat to low.¼ cup Lemon juice
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and add the pasta to your sauté pan with the garlic and olive oil.
- Toss the pasta well to coat all of the pasta with the garlic and olive oil mixture. Keep cooking your pasta in the saute pan for a minute or two (you will notice the pasta will start to drink up that olive oil mixture).
- When you see the pan looking dry and not too much sauce remaining, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water from the mug and mix for 1 more minute.
- Now, turn off your heat and season to taste with salt and lots of pepper.freshly grated black pepper for serving, kosher salt for pasta water and more to taste
- Add the asparagus to the pasta and toss together.
- Serve immediately with Parmesan on the side for topping.½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Nutrition
Calories: 715kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 718mgPotassium: 331mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 237IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 292mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Meg says
Thank you for sharing this recipe